Rob Porterâ€™s security clearance

Kaili Lambe, CREDO Action2018-02-13 14:20:25

[ act.credoaction.com/sign/Porter_Clearance ]The White Houseâ€™s security clearance problem
Tell Wayne Stone, acting Inspector General for the intelligence community:
Â
"Investigate the White Houseâ€™s security clearance policy."
Add your name:
[ act.credoaction.com/sign/Porter_Clearance ]Sign the petition â–ş
Dear Anne,
[ act.credoaction.com/sign/Porter_Clearance ]The White Houseâ€™s
security clearance problem
Last week, Rob Porter resigned from his White House job after allegations
broke that he emotionally and physically abused his ex-wives. White House
Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House Counsel Donald McGahn both knew
that Porterâ€™s wives had reported his abusive behavior.^1 Trump and Kelly
both defended Porter after he resigned.^2
It is appalling but unsurprising that the misogynist-in-chiefâ€™s White
House would elevate and celebrate a man accused of domestic violence. But
in doing so, the Trump White House senior staff allowed Porter to have
daily access to sensitive and often classified information without a
security clearance â€“ a clearance that the FBI held up because one of his
ex-wives said he might be susceptible to blackmail.^3
The White Houseâ€™s incompetence goes far beyond sweeping domestic violence
under the rug or even letting one staffer access information beyond his
security clearance. The Trump regime has dozens of staffers with
high-level access to sensitive information who have not been cleared by
the FBI.^4
[ act.credoaction.com/sign/Porter_Clearance ]Tell Inspector General for the intelligence community Wayne Stone:
Investigate the White Houseâ€™s security clearance policy. Click here to
sign the petition.
Porterâ€™s resignation, as well as the departure of a second White House
staffer who also quit last week when news surfaced that his ex-wife had
told the FBI he was emotionally and physical abusive, has shed light on
the White Houseâ€™s huge problem with security clearances, but there is
still much we do not know.^5
Senate Democrats, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono, have
requested information from Wayne Stone, the acting inspector general for
the intelligence community, but unless there is a huge outcry from the
public to demand an investigation, the Trump regime will be allowed to
jeopardize national security.^6
[ act.credoaction.com/sign/Porter_Clearance ]Tell Inspector General for the intelligence community Wayne Stone:
Investigate the White Houseâ€™s security clearance policy. Click here to
sign the petition.
Jared Kushner is among those who are working at the White House without
permanent security clearance. Trumpâ€™s son-in-law has been embroiled in the
Russia investigation, in particular after it was revealed he lied about
meeting with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.^7 Kushner has even
higher-level access to classified information than Porter did, and it is
unacceptable that Trump and Kelly have continued to keep him in his role
when he may never actually be granted permanent clearance.^8 Kushnerâ€™s
extensive business dealings and the fact that he initially lied on his
clearance form have delayed his clearance, but we still do not know why so
many other positions in the Trump regime are filled by those who lack
clearance or what else Kelly is covering up about his staff. It is
potentially a huge national security risk.
According to Comptroller General of the United States Gene Dodaro, â€śA
high-quality and timely personnel security clearance process is essential
to minimize the risks of unauthorized disclosures of classified
information and to help ensure that information about individuals with
criminal histories or other questionable behavior is identified and
assessed.â€ť^9 But that is simply not happening. There is a huge backlog of
pending security clearance requests â€“ more than 700,000 â€“ likely created
in part by disorganization and understaffing at the White House.^10
While it is unsurprising that Trump staffers with a history of
discrediting survivors kept Porter in his role, it is unacceptable that
Kelly and McGahn dismissed the credible concern of Porterâ€™s ex-wife who
believed he would be susceptible to blackmail. A red flag like that should
have been enough for them to fire Porter from a role that gave him access
to sensitive, top secret materials. Instead, they let him continue to work
and even came to his defense when he resigned. Kelly went so far as to
call Porter a â€śman of true integrity and honor.â€ť^11
If this is what Trump and his top staff think integrity looks like, it
raises major questions about what other flags the FBI has brought to Trump
staff that they have decided to ignore. This is a huge problem for
national security â€“ concerns about high-level staffers that would be
disqualifying in any other administration are being ignored, and the
public deserves an investigation.
Tell Inspector General for the intelligence community Wayne Stone:
Investigate the White Houseâ€™s security clearance policy. Click the link
below to sign the petition:
[ act.credoaction.com/sign/Porter_Clearance ]act.credoaction.com/sign/Porter_Clearance
Thank you for speaking out,
Kaili Lambe, Director of Organizing
[ act.credoaction.com/go/111 ]CREDO Action from Working Assets
Add your name:
[ act.credoaction.com/sign/Porter_Clearance ]Sign the petition â–ş
References:
Â 1.Â Andrew Prokop, â€ś[ act.credoaction.com/go/20675 ]The Rob Porter scandal keeps getting worse for
Trumpâ€™s White House,â€ť Vox, Feb. 9, 2018.
Â 2.Â CBS News, "[ act.credoaction.com/go/20676 ]Trump praises Rob Porter, aide who resigned over
spousal abuse allegations,â€ť Feb. 9, 2018.
Â 3.Â Prokop, â€ś[ act.credoaction.com/go/20675 ]The Rob Porter scandal keeps getting worse for Trumpâ€™s
White House.â€ť
Â 4.Â Matt Zapotosky, Josh Dawsey and Devlin Barrett, â€ś[ act.credoaction.com/go/20677 ]As Jared
Kushnerâ€™s security clearance is delayed, White House hesitates to act
on others with possible problems,â€ť The Washington Post, Feb. 9, 2018.
Â 5.Â Elise Viebeck, â€ś[ act.credoaction.com/go/20678 ]Second White House official departs amid abuse
allegations, which he denies,â€ť The Washington Post, Feb. 9, 2018.
Â 6.Â Elizabeth Castillo, â€ś[ act.credoaction.com/go/20679 ]Democrats request investigation into White
House security clearance process,â€ť POLITICO, Feb. 8, 2019.
Â 7.Â Brian Naylor and Domenico Montanaro, â€ś[ act.credoaction.com/go/20680 ]White House Security
Clearance Trouble Shines Light On 'High Risk' Backlog Problem,â€ť NPR,
Feb. 10, 2018.
Â 8.Â Eliana Johnson, "[ act.credoaction.com/go/20685 ]Kelly knew before abuse reports that Porter would
be denied security clearance," POLITICO, Feb. 8, 2018.
Â 9.Â Naylor and Montanaro,â€ś[ act.credoaction.com/go/20680 ]White House Security Clearance Trouble
Shines Light On 'High Risk' Backlog Problem."
10.Â Josh Dawsey, Beth Reinhard and Elise Viebeck, â€ś[ act.credoaction.com/go/20681 ]Senior White House
official to resign after ex-wivesâ€™ allegations of abuse,â€ť The
Washington Post, Feb. 7, 2018.

Last week, Rob Porter resigned from his White House job after allegations broke that he emotionally and physically abused his ex-wives. White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House Counsel Donald McGahn both knew that Porterâ€™s wives had reported his abusive behavior.1 Trump and Kelly both defended Porter after he resigned.2

It is appalling but unsurprising that the misogynist-in-chiefâ€™s White House would elevate and celebrate a man accused of domestic violence. But in doing so, the Trump White House senior staff allowed Porter to have daily access to sensitive and often classified information without a security clearance â€“ a clearance that the FBI held up because one of his ex-wives said he might be susceptible to blackmail.3

Porterâ€™s resignation, as well as the departure of a second White House staffer who also quit last week when news surfaced that his ex-wife had told the FBI he was emotionally and physical abusive, has shed light on the White Houseâ€™s huge problem with security clearances, but there is still much we do not know.5

Jared Kushner is among those who are working at the White House without permanent security clearance. Trumpâ€™s son-in-law has been embroiled in the Russia investigation, in particular after it was revealed he lied about meeting with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.7 Kushner has even higher-level access to classified information than Porter did, and it is unacceptable that Trump and Kelly have continued to keep him in his role when he may never actually be granted permanent clearance.8 Kushnerâ€™s extensive business dealings and the fact that he initially lied on his clearance form have delayed his clearance, but we still do not know why so many other positions in the Trump regime are filled by those who lack clearance or what else Kelly is covering up about his staff. It is potentially a huge national security risk.

According to Comptroller General of the United States Gene Dodaro, â€śA high-quality and timely personnel security clearance process is essential to minimize the risks of unauthorized disclosures of classified information and to help ensure that information about individuals with criminal histories or other questionable behavior is identified and assessed.â€ť9 But that is simply not happening. There is a huge backlog of pending security clearance requests â€“ more than 700,000 â€“ likely created in part by disorganization and understaffing at the White House.10

While it is unsurprising that Trump staffers with a history of discrediting survivors kept Porter in his role, it is unacceptable that Kelly and McGahn dismissed the credible concern of Porterâ€™s ex-wife who believed he would be susceptible to blackmail. A red flag like that should have been enough for them to fire Porter from a role that gave him access to sensitive, top secret materials. Instead, they let him continue to work and even came to his defense when he resigned. Kelly went so far as to call Porter a â€śman of true integrity and honor.â€ť11

If this is what Trump and his top staff think integrity looks like, it raises major questions about what other flags the FBI has brought to Trump staff that they have decided to ignore. This is a huge problem for national security â€“ concerns about high-level staffers that would be disqualifying in any other administration are being ignored, and the public deserves an investigation.

Tell Inspector General for the intelligence community Wayne Stone: Investigate the White Houseâ€™s security clearance policy. Click the link below to sign the petition: